Island



Patented Mar. I4, |899.

No. s2|,os9.

H. L GouLu.

BDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

(Application led Dec. 5, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)`

`|NvENToR WITNESSES Patented Mar. I4, |899. H. l. GOULD.

ABDUMINAL SUPPORTER.

(Application led Dec. 5, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR @ni/MMM Tm; rignms PETERS C0, PHOTO-Lima. wAsmNcToN. D. c.

f No. 62|,069- Patented Mar. I4, |899. f H. l. GouLn.

AnoulmAL suPPom'E.

(Application led Dec. 5, 1898.) (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

rx-1': Nonms PETERS cu.. Pauw-umn., wAvsHmaTcN. u, c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT I. GOULD, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

ABDOMINAL .SUPPQRTEFL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,069, dated March 14, 1899.

Application tiled December 5, 1898. Serial No. 698,262. (No model.)

T0 all whom itA may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT I. GOULD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Abdominal Supporter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to abdominal corsets and supporters generally, and has for its object to provide a construction which will enable the wearer to draw the garment so as to take up the fullness from the front toward the back after the garment has been put on, thus enabling the wearer to give anyamount of tension to or to change the tension at any time of that special portion of the garment `which supports the abdomen.

Another important feature of my invention is that it enables the wearer to draw in the eXtreme bottom of the garment at the front, if desired, so as to produce more or less of a lifting tendency.

With these ends in view I have devised the novel abdominal supporter of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, reference characters being used to designate the several parts.

Figure l is a view of both sections or halves of a corset, illustratingone mode in which my invention may be applied thereto; Fig. 2, a detail view, on an enlarged scale, corresponding with Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, and 6 are detail views, on an enlarged scale, illustrating other modes in which I have applied my invention to a corset, the tightening device on the right side in Fig. 3 being in horizontal section; and Figs. 5 and 7 are views illustrating variant modes in which I have applied the principle of my invention to an abdominal supporter.

A denotes the sections or halves of a corset or supporter, and B tightening devices-for example, straps or lacingsby which each section or half may be drawn from the front toward the back, fastening devices C being provided to retain the parts in position after they have been drawn up.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 each section of the corset near the front is provided with a V-shaped opening 1. It is wholly immaterial, however, so far as the principle of my invention is concerned, whether the opening is provided or not, the essential feature in'all forms of my invention being that fullness at the front of the garment may be taken up by drawing eachside of the front ofthe garment toward the back and preferably, if required, that the lower end of the front may be drawn upward slightly in addition to being drawn back, thereby producing more or less of a lifting tendency at the bottom of the garment.

In Figs. l and 2 the tightening devices consist of straps, which are attached to the garment, as at 3, passed backward and through an eye or loop 4, then forward and through another eye or loop 5, and then backward to the fastening devices C, which in the present instance are buckles. The operation of this form will be obvious from Fig. 2. After the garment has been put on the wearer may take up fullness or tighten it up, so as to support the abdomen, by tightening up any or lall of the straps. If it is desired to produce a spe,- cial lifting tendency at the bottom, the lower strap instead of being passed through the lower buckle may be carried upward and its outer end passed through one ofthe upper t buckles, as clearly shown at the right in Fig'. 2.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 3 the tightening devices consist of lacings which pass through flaps 6, attached. near the front of the garment, eyelets 7 being preferably provided, so that the lacings may be drawn through the flaps freely. The fastening devices in this form'consist specifically of tabs 8, to each of which the ends of the lacings on one side are attached. Each tab is provided with one or more buttonholes 9, adapted to engage either of the buttons 10. These buttons may be attached in any suitable manner to the garment directly or to a frap l1, as in Fig. 3. In the present instance I have shown ap 11 as provided with eyelets, through which the lacings pass, the buttons being strung on the lacings and lying between the eyelets. In this form two buttons are shown, to either of which the tab may be attached, the eifect of attaching to the upper button being to draw the front more tightly toward the back and toproduce more of a lifting tendency at the bottom of the garment. Should it be required to increase the tensioni'. e., draw the front still more tightly toward the IOC) backthe desired result may be effected by drawing out the central loop of the lacings, as at 12 in Fig. 3, and tying a knot therein.

The form illustrated in Fig. i differs from the form in Fig. 3 only in that instead of providing flaps 6, attached directly to the garment for the lacings to pass through, I place eyelets in both edges of a wide flap 13, which is attached to the garment by a seam at one side, as at 14:. The special advantage of this construction is that it :removes all strain from the clasps which hold the sections of the corset together in use. l

The form illustrated in Fig. 6 differs from the forms in Figs. 3 and 4 in that no flaps are used. The eyelets 7 are formed in the garment itself and the lacings are passed through the garment, one half of each strand of lacing passing under the garment and the other on the outer side thereof.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated the application of my invention to an abdominal supporter. In this form each side of the garment is provided with two V-shaped openings 1, both of which are closed by tightening up the lacing. The front opening will in practice be closed first, thereby producing the tightening or closing effect where it is most desired, after which the back opening will be closed more or less, depending upon the adjustment of the lacings. In this form I have shown two buttons on each side, as in Figs. 3, 4, and 6, and have shown the tab as provided with two buttonholes placed longitudinally in line with each other, thus providing four adjustments for each side of the garment.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated another form of my invention especially adapted for abdominal supporters. In this form the central portions of the lacings pass through eyelets on opposite sides of an opening and then extend across the opening in opposite directions, both ends of the lacings being attached to tabs 8, which are provided with buttonholes and are adapted to engage buttons, as in the other forms. In use the front tab is attached iirst and then the front is drawn toward the back and the rear tab is attached to either of the buttons.

In each of the embodiments of my invention illustrated the tightening devices are located each side of the lower part of the front opening and have sliding connection with the garment, the straps shown in Figs. 1 and 2 being adapted to slide through the loops 4t and 5 and the cords shown in the other liigures being adapted to slide through the eyelets, which are either carried directly by the garment or the flaps secured to said garment. This enables a strong purchase to be had by the wearer in increasing the tension of the tightening devices, and in each of the said embodiments of my invention the fastening devices are such as to permit of varying the relative tension of the upper and lower portions of the tightening devices in order to vary the lifting tendency of the lower parts, as liereinbefore described. The lower straps (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) may have their ends carried to elevated buckles, as shown, and in the forms shown in Figs. 3 to 7 the tabs may be secured in different vertical positions to vary the said relative tension.

Having thus described my invention, I claim--Y 1. The combination with a garment of the character described, of tightening devices lo'- cated each side of the lower part of the front opening and extending from the front toward the back and having sliding connection with said garment, and fastening devices for `vap rying the relative tension of the upper and lower portions of the tightening devices after the front of the garment has been tightened.

2. The combination with the sections of a corset or supporter, of straps attached thereto near the lower portion and on each side of thefront opening, guides on opposite sides of the point of attachment of the straps to the garment,rsaid straps being passed backward and through one set of guides, then forward and through the other set of guides, and then backward again, and buckles upon the garment by which the ends of the straps may be secured in more or less elevated positions to vary the relative tension and the direction of pull upon the lower guides.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT I. GOULD.

Witnesses:

E. L, GARDNER, R. F. BELCHER. 

